Rim and wheel assembly

ABSTRACT

A rim and wheel assembly including a series of axially inner clamp means and a series of axially outer clamp lugs to cooperatively engage the mounting flange of a rim. The wheel has means thereon for positive retention of the clamp lugs. The clamp means each have a surface for engaging a surface on the rim. The clamp lugs each have intersecting surfaces for engaging surfaces on said rim. The clamp means are supported by fastening elements extending axially through the wheel. The fastening elements carry fastening means which draw the clamp means toward the clamp lugs to seat the rim flange.

1111 3,811,732 1 51 May 21, 1974 I RIM AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY [75] Inventors: William D. Walther, Dayton; Robert A. De Regnaucourt, Centerville, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: The Dayton Steel Foundry Company, Dayton, Ohio 22 Filed: Mayll, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 252,411,

[52] US. Cl. 301/11 R, 301/12 R, 301/13 SM, I 301/20 [51 Int.Cl .;...;B60b23/00 [58] Field 0f'Search.... 301/10 R, 11 R, 12 R, 13 R,

301/13 SM, 9 R, 18, 19, 20

345,549 5/1960 Switzerland 301/13 SM 573,140 7/1945 Great Britain 1 301/10 R 768,852 5/1934 France 301/12 R 5/1936 France 301/12 R Primary Examiner -Richard .1. Johnson Assistant Examiner-Reinhard J. Eisenzopf Attorney, Agent, or FirmMa ck D. Cook, 11

[5 7] ABSTRACT A rim and wheel assembly including a series of axially inner clamp means and a series of axially outer clamp lugs to cooperatively engage the mounting flange of a rim. The wheel has means thereon for positive retention of the clamp lugs. The clamp means each have a surface for engaging a surface on the rim. The clamp lugs each have intersecting surfaces for engaging surfaces on said rim. The clamp means are supported by fastening elements extending axially through the wheel. The fastening elements carry fastening means which draw the clamp means toward the clamp lugs to seat the rim flange.

4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures ATEMEU'WZ"974 9 3811732 smnwra FIG. ll

FIG. IO

l I60 I FIG. l2 |e2 figs I63 52 '3 1 I RIM AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY BACKGROUNDN-OF THE INVENTION US. Pat. No. 3,186,767, patented June, 1965 to The Dayton Steel Foundry Company, discloses a single rim and wheel assembly. US. Pat. Nos. 3,l94,6()5 and 3,194,606, patented July, 1965 to The'Dayton Steel Foundry Company, disclose dual rim and'wheel assem: blies, having conceptsapplicable to the mounting of single rims.

Heretogore, the commercially available and known prior art rim and wheel assemblies have utilized the wheel, per se, for mounting of rims. The wheel has been provided with cooperative and intersecting surfaces, a horizontal felloe, felly or load-bearing surface intersecting a radially directed surface, to seat the mounting flange of a rim. Once seated, a rim was held in place by highly stressed or' torqued fastening means, such as a series of nuts on threaded bolts projecting axially of the wheel, forcing or driving clamp lugsinto engagement with the mounting flange on the rim.

The prior art rim and wheel assemblies have performed well. However, it has now been found that what may appear as insignificant differences as to dimensions, configurations and relative locations of rim and wheel assembly components can and with this invention do produce remarkably improved results or advantages. The improvements provided by the present invention are particularly manifest in assuring lateral alignment and minimizing radial runout of the rim when mounted, regardless of the technique employed by the mechanic in assembling a rim on a wheel. It has been found that no judgment is needed by a mechanic in mounting a rimand wheel assembly according to the invention.

' SUMMARY OF THE INvENTIoN The object of the invention'is to provide an improved rim and wheel assembly.

The clamp means are supported by a series of fastening elements extending axially through the wheel and carrying fastening means attached axially outwardly of the wheel and the clamp lungs. The clamp means are drawn or pulled axially toward the clamp lugs to seat the rim flange by tightening the fastening means on the fastening elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a rim and wheel assembly according to the-invention;

FIG. 2 is an axially outer plan view of a rim and wheel assembly, taken substantially as indicated on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axially inner plan view of a rim and wheel assembly, taken substantially as indicated on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view-showing a clamp means, clamp lug, and fastening means according to the invention,

FIG. 5 is a radially inner sectional view taken substantially as indicated on line 5-5 of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating movement of a clamp means axially toward a clamp lug to seat a rim flange by tightening the fastening means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view depicting a modification for maintaining the fastening means in a tightened condition;

FIG. 8 is another fragmentary sectional view illustrating another modification for maintaining the fastening means in a tightened position;

FIG. 9 is a full plan view of a circular ring carrying a series of clamp lugs according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated on lines l0-l0 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view taken substantially as indicated on line ll11 of FIG. 9; and

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rim and wheel assembly having components which will assure lateral alignment and'minimize radial runout of g the rim when mounted on the wheel.

These and other objects of the invention, and the advantages thereof,'will be apparent in view of the Description of a Preferred Embodiment, and Alternative Embodiments, as set forth below.

In general, a rim and wheel assembly according to the invention comprises, a wheel, a series of axially inner clamp means,.ar 1d a series of axially outer clamp lugs to cooperatively engage mounting surfaces on the flange of a rim. The wheel has a peripheral portion with means thereon-for positive retention of the clamp lugs. The. peripheral portion of the wheel'may also have clamp lugs each have intersecting surfaces thereon for engaging an axially outer and a radially inner surface on the rimflange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INvENTIoN A rim and wheel assembly according to the invention is referred to generally by the numeral 20. The single rim is referred to generally bythe numeral 21. The wheel is referred to generally by the numeral 23. The series of axially inner clamp means are referred to generally by the numeral 24, with the fastening elements 25 therefor being described in further detail below. The series of axially outer clamp lugs are referred to generally by the numeral 26, with the positive retention means 27 therefor being described in detail below. The fastening means for the fastening elements 25 are referred to generally by the numeral 28.

The rim 21 may be a'conventional flat base rim having a fixed bead flange and a removable bead flange (not shown). As shown, the mounting flange of the rim 21 has an axially inner holding surface 31, preferably inclines at an angle at 28 from the rotational axis of the rim. The holding surface 31 intersects and merges into a radially inner seating surface 32, preferably axially oriented substantially horizontal or parallel to the rotational axis of the rim. The seating surface 23 intersects and merges into an axially outer gutter or'positioning surface 33, preferably radially oriented substantially vertical or perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rim. The rim mounting surfaces 31, 32 and 33 depict a conventional form of a mounting flange for a rim which may be assembled on a wheel according to the invention. The angularity of these surfaces could be varied somewhat in relation to the rotational axis of the rim while still utilizing the subject matter of the invention.

The wheel 23 may be either a cast spoked wheel or a disc wheel, formed by stamping or forging. As shown, the wheel 23 is a spoked wheel having a conventional hub area 35. Any desired number of spokes 36, preferably five or six, extend radially of the hub area 35.

The peripheral portion of each spoke 36 has a boss surface 37 for seating the radially oriented leg of a clamp lug 26, as described in further detail below.

The positive retention means 27 for the clamp lugs 26 on the peripheral portion of a wheel 23 may be formed, as shown, by the boss surface 37 radially oriented substantially vertically or perpendicular to the rotational axis of the wheel, an intersecting surface 38 axially oriented substantially horizontal or parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel, an intersecting surface 39 inclined radially inwardly and axially outwardly in relation to the rotational axis of the wheel, and an intersecting concave surface 40 axially oriented substantially horizontal or parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel. The clamp lug retention surfaces 37, 38, 39 and 40 define a preferred form of a positive retention means 27 according to the invention. The angularity of these surfaces could be varied somewhat in relation to the rotational axis of the wheel without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

An axially oriented bore 41, for loosely receiving the shank of the fastening elements in the form of support bolts 25 for the clamp means 24, extends through the peripheral portion of a wheel 23 radially inwardly of the surface 40. The outer end of a bore 41 opens onto a boss surface 37. As shown, the inner end of a bore 41 opens into an open area 42, provided by a means for positioning a clamp means 24 while engaging a rim flange surface 31.

As shown, the clamp means 24 may be provided by a series of individual elements as described in detail below. In this embodiment, the clamp means 24 are positioned by sliding contact with sets of parallel surfaces 43 axially oriented substantially horizontal or parallel to the rotational axis of the wheel, on the radially outer side of the wheel peripheral portions defining the open or slotted area 42 and on opposite sides of 'a support bolt 25.

The clamp means 24 may be a series of one-piece solid elements. The bolt portion 25 thereof, threaded as at 46 for. engagement with a fastening means 28 in the form of a nut, extends through a wheel bore 41 to join with a wedge portion 47. The radially outer face of a wedge portion 47 has a conical surface 48 for matingly engaging a correspondingly inclined rim flange mounting surface 31. The radially inner face of a wedge portion 47, on opposite sides of the juncture point with the bolt portion 25, has axially oriented surfaces 49 for slidingly engaging the surfaces 43 on the wheel when the fastening means 28 are tightened.

While not shown in the drawings, the clamp means 24 could be made in the form of a full-circle or ring member carrying a series of support bolts 25 for insertion through a series of wheel bores 41 and a series of rim flange engaing surfaces 48. This alternative form for the clamp means 24 could be utilized without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

A clamp lug 26 may be provided for each support bolt 25. A clamp lug 26 has a radially directed leg 51 and an axially directed leg 52. The legs 51 and 52 may intersect at right angles, meaning the axial leg 52 need not be radially arcuate, without impairment of the clamping function.

A clamp lug radial leg 51 has an axially inner surface 53 to slidably engage a boss surface 37 on the wheel 23. A leg 51 also has an arcuate slot 54 formed on a radius concentric with the wheel bores 41. A slot 54 preferably opens to the right of the axially outer face of a clamp lug 26 and is manually moved counterclockwise into engagement with a positive retention means 27 on the peripheral portion of a wheel 23. The tip portion of the radial leg 51, radially inwardly of the slot 54, is

preferably bent axially outwardly as at 55 to facilitate starting of a clamp lug around a bolt 25 and onto the retention means 27.

A clamp lug axial leg 52 has a seat portion 57. The seat portion 57 projects radially inwardly and preferably has four working surfaces thereon. A seat portion 57 has an inclined surface 59 for sliding and mating engagement with a wheel surface 39, a convex surface 60 for sliding and seating engagement on a wheel surface 40, an axially oriented surface 62 for seating the rim flange surface 32, and a radially oriented surface 63 for positioning the rim flange surface 33.

The clamp lugs 26, as shown in FIGS. 1-5 and described above, are a series of individual elements. The clamp lugs could be made as a series of elements carried ona full circle or ring member.

Referring to FIGS. 9-12, a clamp lug 126 could be provided for each support bolt 125. The clamp lugs 126 project radially inwardly from a carrier ring 127.

In the manner of a clamp lug 26, each clamp lug 126 has a radial leg 151, an axial leg 152, a radially oriented surface 153, an arcuate slot 154, a starting tip portion 155, and a shelf portion 157 with an inclined surface 159, a convex surface 160, and axially oriented surface 162 and a radially oriented surface 163.

' As illustrated by the comparison of FIG. 11 with F IO. 12, it has been found advantageous for utilization of the clamp lugs 126 to specifically make at least one shelf portion 157 longer than the rest. This enables the rim 21 to be put in place against the clamp means 24 and to start rotating the ring 127 against one support bolt 125. Thereafter, the ring 127 is easily moved counterclockwise into engagement with a positive retention means 27 on the peripheral portion of a wheel 23.

When utilizing the rim and wheel assembly according to the invention, the clamp means are positioned with the support bolts projecting outwardly through the wheel bores. The rim (carrying a tire) is fitted over the wheel until the rim flange mounting surface contacts the clamp means. It has been found that it is not neces sary when changing a tire to completely remove the fastening means, when in the form of nuts on the threaded bolt portions. Thereafter, the clamp lugs are rotated onto the positive retention means between the fastening nuts and the wheel boss surfaces.

Referring to FIG, 6, installation of the clamp lugs will tend to arc or cam the rim flange into a proper radial position. The rim will be centered radially at the beginning or entry portion of the clamp lug seating surfaces. Thereafter, tightening of the nuts will draw the posi- 5 is a conventional type, flanged at the base and a locking type nut. This type of nut is considered satisfactory for normal operational conditions.

Referring to FIG. 7, a modification of the fastening means may be provided in the form of a locking nut having a conventional element 171, of plastic or other suitable material, to provide increased frictional contact with the outer face of the radial leg 51 of a clamp means 26. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the other face of the radial leg 51 of a clamp means 26 may have a counter bore 172 receiving an enlarged diame ter locking flange 173 on a fastening means 28.

What is claimed is:

l. A rim and wheel assembly comprising, a wheel (23), a series of axially inner clamp means (24), and a series of axially outer clamp lugs (26) to cooperatively engage mountingsurfaces on the flange of a rim (21),

said wheel (23) having a peripheral portion with means (27) for positive retention of said clamp lugs (26), said means (27) being defined by a radially oriented boss surface (37), an intersecting axially oriented surface (38), an intersecting inclined radially inwardly and axially outwardly surface (39) and an intersecting axially oriented concave surface (40),

each said clamp lug (26) having a radial leg (51) and an axial leg (52), said radial leg having a surface (53) for engagement with said boss surface (37) and said axial leg having a radially inwardly projecting seat portion (57), said seat portion (57) having an inclined surface (59) for engagement with said inclined radially inwardly and axially outwardly surface (39), a convex surface (60) for engagement with said concave surface (40), and intersecting surfaces (62 8; 63) for engaging a radially inner surface (32) and an axially outer surface (33) on said rim flange,

each said clamp means (24) having a surface (48) thereon for engaging an axially inner surface (31) on said rim flange,

said clamp means being supported by a series of fastening elements extending axially through said wheel and carrying fastening means axially outwardly of said wheel of said clamp lugs, said clamp means being drawn axially toward said clamp lugs to seat said rim flange by the tightening of said fastening means on said series of fastening elements.

tion longer than the rest of said vclamp lugs. 

1. A rim and wheel assembly comprising, a wheel (23), a series of axially inner clamp means (24), and a series of axially outer clamp lugs (26) to cooperatively engage mounting surfaces on the flange of a rim (21), said wheel (23) having a peripheral portion with means (27) for positive retention of said clamp lugs (26), said means (27) being defined by a radially oriented boss surface (37), an intersecting axially oriented surface (38), an intersecting inclined radially inwardly and axially outwardly surface (39) and an intersecting axially oriented concave surface (40), each said clamp lug (26) having a radial leg (51) and an axial leg (52), said radial leg having a surface (53) for engagement with said boss surface (37) and said axial leg having a radially inwardly projecting seat portion (57), said seat portion (57) having an inclined surface (59) for engagement with said inclined radially inwardly and axially outwardly surface (39), a convex surface (60) for engagement with said concave surface (40), and intersecting surfaces (62 & 63) for engaging a radially inner surface (32) and an axially outer surface (33) on said rim flange, each said clamp means (24) having a surface (48) thereon for engaging an axially inner surface (31) on said rim flange, said clamp means being supported by a series of fastening elements extending axially through said wheel and carrying fastening means axially outwardly of said wheel of said clamp lugs, said clamp means being drawn axially toward said clamp lugs to seat said rim flange by the tightening of said fastening means on said series of fastening elements.
 2. A rim and wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral portion of said wheel has means thereon for positioning of said clamp means while engaging the axially inner surface on said rim flange.
 3. A rim and wheel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said clamp lugs project radially inwardly of a carrier ring.
 4. A rim and wheel assembly according to claim 3 wherein at least one of said clamp lugs has a seat portion longer than the rest of said clamp lugs. 